Warrior Of The Skies
by ScotlandIsHome
Summary: Shi is taken in by a strange clan, where all of the cats have powers! He soons grows close to all the cats who have named him Gryphon after his coloring, but he can't stay, he has to save his father from the clans. Little does he know what he's started.
1. Chapter 1

Death can come to one like a thief in the night, quiet and unseen, like in a twinkling of an eye, but other times, it can come slowly like lava flowing down a volcano's side, loud and uncanny, like a warped cough of the sick. Maybe that's why, bleeding and obviously dying, the queen, much to old to bare any kits, thought of the names she did. Perhaps, the insanity of knowing she was going to die drove her as far as to name the kits, the six kits doomed to die with no mother, what she did.

Thief, a black and white tom with one brown paw, the oldest, and biggest of the litter, if the old queen had lived through this she was sure that he would have grown to be the best. Blood, named after the blood she was born in, she was a shivering red she cat with grey eyes already opened. Death a large black tom, almost as big as Theif but not quit. Another large black and white tom, Curse, named after what he and his siblings were, a curse from above, from the mythlogical StarClan. Fear, a red and white she cat with a bobbed tail and of course the runt. The ungainly little Gryphon, a tiny golden tom with black paws, shoulders, ears, and tailtip, the bringer of death the gryphon was, and since Gryphon was surely going to be the first to die, the name fit.

The old queen, Murmur, as other cats called her, snarled at Gryphon, why not kill him? Why not kill him, it would give his litermates a chance of meek survival, killing off the weakest of them. Yes, why not kill him? Because old Murmur had already dyed before she was able to do the deed.

Thief, Blood, Death, Curse, Fear, and Gryphon huddled together around the cooling body of their mother, warmed only by the blood sticking to their fur and Murmur's. With no protection, food, or warmth, they'd be dead by morning. Suddenly the wind picked up, it looked as if death was already swooning upon them. But it wasn't, instead, it was the warm wind of the East coming to warm them with her brother West, North and South grimaced up in the heavens at the wind's tresspacing on their cool winter land, but made no blast of cold to stop them.

_"Fear, Blood, Curse, Gryphon, Thief, Death_." The winds whispered over and over.

The kits managed to lift their heads as the many voices of East and West spoke in their soft melody, such sweet voices repeated such horrid names sounded all to wrong. But they continued to repeat and they continued to say the six names over and over until each one was stuck in the kits minds, each word wringing itself over and over, until it was entombed in every fragment of their brains.

"What's this?" A sudden voice screeched, making the East and West stop their songs.

"Looks like Murmur's had her kits, six of 'em really." Another male voice lazily, as if not surprised at the sight of a dead cat and six orphan kits. "Why do ya' ask Kei? It's right in front of ya' face." It added.

There was a sigh from the she-cat and in an all to loud voice she said, "Oh look at them aren't they so sweet?" There was a huff as a reply. "Well we will have to take them, won't we Jash?" She said excitedly. Their was another sigh from Jash but he decided against saying that they would just die in a few days and allowed his mate to do whatever she wanted.

"Yes we will, now we'll have to name them!" Kei stated happily. Jash rolled his green eyes again, they already had names he was sure but he didn't know what they were and he doubted that the kits knew what they were either. But they did, the winds had told them. "Alright let's see...how about...Tasi, Sighem, Befi, Changi, and um...Jash after you." She smiled, pointing to the five bigger kits.

"What about dat smaller one?" He asked, pointing to Gryphon with his tail.

Kei looked at the kit for seemingly the first time, she scrunched up her face, "That runt? Please, and ruin my, I mean our, reputation? Please." She said. Jash looked at her angrily and Kei shrugged. "but...if you want to I guess we could take him..."

"Shi." Jash said suddenly.

"What?" Was the response.

"Shi will be his name." And it was. Tasi, Sighem, Befi, Changi, Jash, and Shi had another chance of life. But would they survive was the question.


	2. Chapter 2

Shi backed up, his heart was racing faster than he ever knew a heart could and he worried that it would pop out of his chest. His paws shook invuluntary, making his legs quiver unsteadly, this was horrible, he hated when he had these fits, they only lasted for a few seconds but they came at the oddest of times. Like when he was play fighting with his brothers and sister. "Ugh, you're no fun Shi." Tasi complained, shaking his big black and white head at his little brother. Shi couldn't answer, whenever he had these fits he became silent as stone. That was until the shakes ended suddenly, so sudden that he fell down.

"I can't help it!" Shi squeaked. His voice was abnormally high pitched and slurred, it took Tasi a few minutes to understand what he was saying. "But if it bothers you that much I'll just watch." He sighed under his brothers' fierce yellow gaze.

Tasi nodded his acceptance and went over to where Sighem, Changi, and Jash were all siting; Shi wished he could play, he could be strong! _'But not strong enough...' _A cold evil voice mocked in his ear. He shook his head. He hated that voice, it always came after he had one of his fits, it always brought horrible news to him. _'Gryphon...little gryphon who can't fly, little gryphon, so weak he can only cry!' _The voice rattled inside his head, on he hated the voice! The voice that called him Gryphon, the voice that only he could hear. Was he crazy? No, the voice was, he wasn't, he was just a kit with a problem, just a kit. _'Mama gryphon shook her head, mama gryphon snapped her beak, baby gryphon couldn't fly, baby gryphon could only cry.' _

He knew about Gryphon's, he had heard his mama curse the Gryphon when his other brother, Befi that was his name, died after falling into a creek. Mama had blamed him for that. _'Baby gryphon who could have saved Death, yet baby didn't fly, baby gryphon only stood there and cried.' _What a horrible voice. Even though he hated the voice, he wanted the voice to stay with him...because the voice was the only one who would talk to him, the voice was the only one who would have him.

"Little gryphon couldn't fly, baby gryphon would only cry." Shi whispered to himself, closing his blue eyes and sighing. "What did you say Shi?" Came a startling loud voice from behind him.

Whorling around he saw his mama, her yellow eyes flashing at him and her black pelt sticking out among the green grasses. Shi wished he had her pelt, it was so fluffy and looked so soft...why didn't he have mama or papa's eyes? He'd often wonder. _'Mama gryphon died, baby gryphon should have gone, yet he only sat there and cried.' _"I asked you a question Shi, and I expect you to answer when I do." Kei snarled at him. She never snarled at his brother and sister, was it because he was a bad kit? _'Baby gryphon was a wimp, baby gryphon couldn't fly, he wouldn't die, instead he's just sit there dumbly and cry.' _

Shi sat up a little straighter, maybe if he was really nice mama would be happy at him, that would be nice. "I'm alright mama." He said in his clearest voice. Kei snorted and Shi felt his hopes waft away, he had done something wrong, he always did something wrong.

"It's _mother _Shi, not mama _mother _I feel like I have to yell at you just so you get it right!" She spat. Shi quivered, his siblings were able to call her mama, but maybe he was different, maybe, he was to be formal. "Listen Shi, as you know you have NO skill what-so-ever, and as your mother it is my job to find something you are good at...whatever that is..." _'Baby gryphon couldn't fly, baby gryphon only sat there and cried, baby gryphon was mocked with sneering eyes, baby gryphon couldn't fly, baby gryphon could only cry.' _

Kei sighed and closed her eyes, "Let's see...you can't hunt for anything, you can't fight, your not handsome enough to get cats to help you, you can't speak..." Her words deflated him even more than the voices; at least the voice only said one basic phrase. "But...maybe, with a little luck there can be some sort of hope for you. Perhaps a slave, they get good wages in mice and work hard." A slave, a slave was the last thing Shi wanted to be. While slaves were paid enough they weren't at all respected and that was all Shi wanted, respect. "Yes, you will be a slave, I now a good cat, Mac is his name, who will take you on, but first you need training." Was that it? He was just going to be sold to a cat he didn't even know? Why would mother do that? Maybe, it was because she wanted to get rid of him...no! He loved mother, and he was sure that she loved him back. But with thosen clans, ShadowClan, ThunderClan, WindClan, and RiverClan, it was hard to find enough prey, everyone was working in the family. Everyone except for him that was.

"Alright mother." He whispered through clentched teeth. Why couldn't he do something good for once? Why couldn't he become a hunter, or a fighter, like his brothers, or a collector like his sister. _'Because little gryphon was to small, everyone was afraid that he would fall.' _Oh how he hated that voice! Such mockery, such a cold voice that he couldn't control, so silent to the outside world, so dead, but so alive and vived in his mind. Kei was about to say something more when a small, lean, grey tom bounded to her, it was Coral, the messanger.

"Kei, I have bad news." He said, winded beyond doubt. "The...the clans they, they've taken Jash." He said between gasp. Jash, the only one who really cared about Shi, Jash, Shi's protector, was taken by the clans. Most likely subjected to death; or torture. Kei gave a strangled sound. "A few of the rouges have already started a plan, they're going to the biggest slave and fighter owners to ask for asistance." He said. Maybe there was a chance his papa would be saved maybe... _'They all hurried around papa gryphon, but baby gryphon couldn't fly, baby gryphon would only sit there and cry.' _

"I'll go ask Mac right away, Changi, you look after everyone while I'm gone!" She shouted, already racing off with Coral in the direction of Mac's den. "I won't sit here and cry...I'll save you papa, and make mother proud." He whispered to himself. If only he knew that he would be to late, and if only he knew what a journey those words would lead him on.


	3. Chapter 3

**BTW, I'm playing this story like the clans never moved to the Lake and the forest/woods were never destroyed, mainly because I'm more familiar with the terrain of the 'old woods'.**

* * *

There was a loud laugh from Shadow, "That's it?" She laughed, green eyes flashing with humor. "That kit is the 'killer' that will surpass all the clans? That kit is the one the West and East winds chose to speak to?" She laughed. There was a silence among the three other cats that gathered but River flashed a small smile.

"I must say I agree with Shadow, the thought that this spasm-wracked kit could be the 'gryphon' is absurd if not insane." The silvery-grey tom agreed. Another silence was shared between Thunder and Wind as the other two leaders eased themselves of the burden they had been carrying for many moons_. 'There would be one, traveling for years, days of thirst, weeks of hunger, and troubles would make him strong. Blessed by the West and East wind, he will face the clans and force them down, so that he will become leader.' _That was what the North and South winds had told them, and all loners, rouges, and kitty-pets were now suspects. This kit was the main suspect, why he was was beyond River's mind.

Thunder stepped up, "He is weak, but as we were told, travels will make him stronger, and he has determination...and one of the West's assistants guiding him through this." He stated. Wind backed him up with a shallow nod.

Shadow hissed, "Yes, we should all be afraid of this kit and the 'voice' that whispers to him and gives him spasms so that he is immobilized." She sneered.

Thunder, Wind, and even River ignored her remarks and turned their backs to her, the thick furred black cat hissed and faced the other leaders. "Alright, if we _have _to do something about this kit, don't you think he should have a name, then what do we do?" She asked in irritation.

"What we have to." Thunder replied solemly. There were sorrowful glances shared and Thunder closed his eyes, "This kit can't live...if that happens...someone better help us all."

* * *

Shi clawed his way up the rock-hill his small paws digging desperately into the rocks as he heaved himself up, "Please...don't let me start fitting." He whispered. Shuddering when he imagined what would happen if he did start having a fit. But he didn't, instead he found himself panting and sighing at the top of the hill, amber eyes flashing as he took it all in. There was a river raging beside him and the scents of many cats filled his senses. Smiling to himself he looked around, "Wow, this is so cool! I'm the biggest cat there is!" He shouted in his slurred voice. His heart lifting, he was king, for once he stood above everyone else...that feeling ended in a few seconds.

There was a loud screech and Shi felt claws rack against his back as he was thrown from the rocks and rolled/bounced down right by the river. _'Because little gryphon was so small, everyone was afraid he would fall.' _He thought to himself, remembering what the voice had told him. He never knew those words were meant so literally.

Shaking his head he stumbled up and saw two cats staring at him, a dark brown tabby tom and cream colored tom, Shi tried his best to look brave but the pain in his back made his strength falter. "I...I..." He stuttered and the pale tom jumped down and sliced him on the chest, the red stuck out against his golden pelt. The brown tabby tom looked a little reluctant, but he didn't do anything to help.

_'Baby gryphon stay strong, baby gryphon just hold on, baby gryphon hold won't wait long.' _The whisper voice shouted above his scream. That was the nicest thing the voice had ever said to him...if only it had come on better terms, like, when he wasn't bleeding on the chest and on the back. When he could really appreciate its' words. "Leave me alone!" He hissed. Large black ears placed against his ears as the toms came closer. To the toms, he knew that the words sounded like, "Lease ge abode!"

The one attacking, who Shi realized had no tail, hissed and raked his claws down the kits face, "Listen demon, we know what you are!" He hissed. That was when the tom hit him with enough force that he flew into the raging river, full and fierce from the rain. _'Gryphon couldn't swim, hope seemed so dim, yet his life was flowing at the rim.' _The voice whispered.

Through his clouded mind Shi felt comforted at its words, and as he scraped the rocks on the bottom of the riverbed. The water stung at his open wounds, yet there was something numbing and soothing about the way the water forced him under and how he was carried down the water. It made him think, that no matter what, no matter how hard the clans would try, there was never going to be anyone stronger than the river. It also made him think about Jash. What were they doing to Jash? That was when his head hit a rock and the world went black around him.

* * *

"Mom! Come look at this...I think it's a drowned chipmunk!" Feather shouted. There was a scuttle as the small kit tried to pull the heavy burden up the muddy bank.

Lily sighed, her daughter was always bringing home small dead animals, always either to wet, rotten, or mutated to eat. She sighed when she remembered the toad with six legs, teeth, and one eye...it hadn't been dead when she brought it into the den...Her mate, Crimson smiled and stretched, "That's nice honey...leave it outside of camp..." He shouted. Crimson was leader of a sort of rag-tag group of ten, and as daughter to Crimson, Feather and her brother Singed were respected and honored throughout the 'clan' with the highest respect. Which, in turn, made Feather fearless, and Singed strong-willed and headstrong. Not always good traits when you live in such a hard world.

"Dear...Crimson, Lily, she's done it! She's done it! She brought in a kit!" Came the horrifide voice of Flicker, who ran into the den with wide red eyes and small flames dancing on his ears, his brother and deputy.

Crimson stood up and shocked out his fur before hurrying out of the den and finding his daughter, sitting there with wide shocked grey eyes, and wings placed against her sides, despite the shock, her fluffy white-and grey spotted chest puffed out in pride of her find. Crimson looked over the water lodged and battered body. "Quick, go get Herb...good job Feather." He stated. He wasn't sure if it was best that he was congratulating her on pulling a kit out of the water, but...Myth must have brought him to their care for some reason.

Herb, the light brown, almost green tom hurried up and began to work, and in a few minutes, when the stranger was completely healed of his injuries and was blinking awake. Maybe...despite the size problem, he could help them bring their clan to greatness...maybe...


End file.
